The RA Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan expressed concern at the November 3 press conference that Azerbaijan, by placing its signs on the roads of Armenia, intends to exert psychological pressure on the Armenian population.
He explained, “Signs have been placed in the villages of Chakaten-Kapan-Nerkin Hand, which they allegedly consider Azerbaijani, while they have no justification. The placement of the signs has a strategic purpose to intimidate people. It does not matter if they are border troops or armed forces; they are armed people. And who is the supreme commander-in-chief of those people? He is the president who threatens the people of Armenia every day.”
Arman Tatoyan also spoke about the problems they faced during their fact-finding work. “We stood for two minutes to take pictures. We did the rest on our way, but less than two minutes later, we raised our heads and saw that they were standing on the hill above us with their weapons pointed. That’s why people avoid these roads. This is a gross violation of free movement.”
Tatoyan also expressed concern that by placing the Azeri positions near the runway of Kapan airport, the entire M-2 road and the city of Kapan came under the control of the Azerbaijani troops. “Being there, if not a single shot is fired, is a violation of the right to life.”
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Arman Tatoyan said that even in these parts when they took pictures from inside the car, the Azeri troops immediately noticed them and pointed loaded weapons at them. Speaking about the approach of the Armenian side to build alternative roads, the RA Ombudsman said, “We say we are building alternative roads. Why should we give up our roads and say we are building an alternative road? In that case, let’s build alternative villages and cities, maybe Azerbaijan will bring a map and say that this village is also theirs. Yes, let’s build roads for security, but not just because Azerbaijan has made a demand.”
Tatev Harutyunyan
